Nine-year-old Cash Cayen is fighting sexism with the power of the Internet behind her.
When Timmins Public Library in Ontario, Canada, denied the girl a spot in a robotics program advertised as "boys only," she and her mom started a Change.org petition. It says a library administrator told Cash that the science program doesn't allow girls because "boys' academic and literacy skills don't improve over the summer break."
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The explanation didn't sit well with the Cayen family or the Internet, and Cash's petition has garnered more attention that she ever expected. Cash's mom writes, "Her initial goal was 10 signatures, then she settled on 100, so when she saw that she had over 1000 supporters this morning, she was thrilled and said, 'They have to let girls in now!'"
Supporters have also commented on the petition, trumpeting the benefits of a co-ed, science-focused curriculum.
Dan Scott, a father from Sudbury, Canada, wrote, "I have a daughter who participates in a robotics club, am a technologist, and am acutely aware of the lack of women who currently make science and technology their chosen career. We need to encourage and support their participation in these endeavours from the earliest ages."
A female robotics engineer working in New York City offered words of encouragement, and to answer any questions Cash might have about robotics.
Three days and 27,000 signatures later, Timmins Mayor Steven Black said Cash and any other girl interested in the robotics program will be allowed to participate, Yahoo News Canada reported.
A victory for women, the Internet and maybe robots.